Environment

An EV charger in Granite Falls outside of Granite Falls City Hall on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Can EVs go the distance in the backcountry? Some not so sure.

Puget Sound Energy said current EV ranges and charging stations make remote travel possible. But planning is crucial.

An EV charger in Granite Falls outside of Granite Falls City Hall on Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024 in Granite Falls, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Mifthakof, left, shows Gov. Jay Inslee a hydrogen-powered motor during an event at ZeroAvia’s new Everett facility on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, near Paine Field in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

FAA awards ZeroAvia in Everett $4.2M toward sustainable flight goals

The aerospace company will use federal grant to advance technology at new facility. Statewide, aviation projects received $38M.

ZeroAvia founder and CEO Val Mifthakof, left, shows Gov. Jay Inslee a hydrogen-powered motor during an event at ZeroAvia’s new Everett facility on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, near Paine Field in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Snohomish resident Doug Ewing and a crew of young locals load up Ewing's pickup truck with tires they found in the Snohomish River this summer. So far this year, the group has removed 69 tires from the river. (Provided photo)

New limit set for tire chemical that kills coho salmon

Local advocates hope to remove 6PPD from stormwater and rivers. Ecology says new limit is ‘first step’ in reducing threat to salmon.

Snohomish resident Doug Ewing and a crew of young locals load up Ewing's pickup truck with tires they found in the Snohomish River this summer. So far this year, the group has removed 69 tires from the river. (Provided photo)
Bailey Vos, a pre-sales forester, stands on a fallen tree in the Stilly Revisited timber sale  on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Ta'Leah Van Sistine / The Herald)

Legacy Forest Defense Coalition set on halting timber sale near Arlington

The coalition appealed the Stilly Revisited sale in July. Activists argue it violates state’s promise to preserve older trees.

Bailey Vos, a pre-sales forester, stands on a fallen tree in the Stilly Revisited timber sale  on Wednesday, May 29, 2024 in Arlington, Washington. (Ta'Leah Van Sistine / The Herald)
A car drives past Hall Creek along 216th Street on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

With new facility, Mountlake Terrace to treat chemical that kills coho

Used in tires, 6PPD seeps into streams during storms. A state grant will help the city design a vault to filter it.

A car drives past Hall Creek along 216th Street on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Olivia Bolen walks through the Mukilteo Community Garden in 2022. (Julie Titone)

Mukilteo Community Garden to celebrate 15th birthday this weekend

The garden, founded in 2009, has grown over 26,000 pounds of organic produce. Harvests are donated to local food banks.

Olivia Bolen walks through the Mukilteo Community Garden in 2022. (Julie Titone)
U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, right, goes over a Chinook Marsh Project map with Snohomish County Surface Water Management’s Michael Rustay, left, and Erik Stockdale, center, at the project site on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

DelBene presents $960K check for Snohomish County work on Chinook Marsh

The county effort to restore over 450 acres of tidal wetlands has received over $17 million in federal funding this year.

U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, right, goes over a Chinook Marsh Project map with Snohomish County Surface Water Management’s Michael Rustay, left, and Erik Stockdale, center, at the project site on Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2024 in Snohomish, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Bethayna Gebremariam, 6, is sprayed with water while the sun casts orange tinged light across North Lynnwood Park on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Ahead of weekend, heat advisory issued for Snohomish County

Meteorologists expected temperatures and air quality to improve on Saturday and Sunday.

Bethayna Gebremariam, 6, is sprayed with water while the sun casts orange tinged light across North Lynnwood Park on Friday, Aug. 9, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
The walkway onto Spencer Island on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Snohomish River climate projects get $21M federal boost

The program will bolster restoration efforts at Chinook Marsh, Spencer Island and other spots along the river.

The walkway onto Spencer Island on Monday, Aug. 28, 2023 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Workers demolish the old building at Madrona K-8 School. Students won't be starting at the new campus. (Stephanie Davey / The Herald)

PFAS found near Edmonds school sparks concerns about wells

Madrona K-8 School’s stormwater system is designed to filter pollutants. But locals still worry chemicals will seep into an aquifer.

Workers demolish the old building at Madrona K-8 School. Students won't be starting at the new campus. (Stephanie Davey / The Herald)
Clark Wood, right, starts repairs on a record player brought in to the Repair Cafe in November 2023 in Mountlake Terrace. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

WSU training to teach locals about what is truly recyclable

The Sustainable Community Stewards program will teach participants at Willis D. Tucker Community Park. The course starts Sept. 11.

Clark Wood, right, starts repairs on a record player brought in to the Repair Cafe in November 2023 in Mountlake Terrace. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Public Works Senior Engineer Randy Loveless looks out over Everett’s 101-year-old reservoir at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Reservoir 3 Replacement Project on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

With looming earthquake threat, Everett breaks ground on $80M reservoirs

Contractors will replace a 100-year-old reservoir east of Evergreen Way with two smaller ones.

Public Works Senior Engineer Randy Loveless looks out over Everett’s 101-year-old reservoir at a groundbreaking ceremony for the Reservoir 3 Replacement Project on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Doug Ewing looks out over a small section of the Snohomish River that he has been keeping clean for the last ten years on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at the Oscar Hoover Water Access Site in Snohomish, Washington. Ewing scours the shorelines and dives into the depths of the river in search of trash left by visitors, and has removed 59 truckloads of litter from the quarter-mile stretch over the past decade. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

If Snohomish River campaign passes, polluters could be held accountable

This summer, a committee spearheaded efforts to grant legal rights to the river. Leaders gathered 1,300 signatures.

Doug Ewing looks out over a small section of the Snohomish River that he has been keeping clean for the last ten years on Thursday, May 19, 2022, at the Oscar Hoover Water Access Site in Snohomish, Washington. Ewing scours the shorelines and dives into the depths of the river in search of trash left by visitors, and has removed 59 truckloads of litter from the quarter-mile stretch over the past decade. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Components of downtown Marysville’s new stormwater treatment facility can be seen from the walkway on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. While much of the treatment and filtering happens out of sight, visitors of the area will see troughs, left, spilling water out onto the surrounding landscape, which soaks up the filtered water before it makes its way into a nearby lagoon. Overflow grates, right, help alleviate flooding during heavy rains. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

At new Marysville water treatment facility, plants filter out pollutants

City officials expect the $14 million project to clean 110 million gallons of water every year, reducing harm to wildlife.

Components of downtown Marysville’s new stormwater treatment facility can be seen from the walkway on Thursday, July 11, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. While much of the treatment and filtering happens out of sight, visitors of the area will see troughs, left, spilling water out onto the surrounding landscape, which soaks up the filtered water before it makes its way into a nearby lagoon. Overflow grates, right, help alleviate flooding during heavy rains. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The words "not disposable" are printed on the ground next to the Styrofoam recycling area on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 in Bothell, Wash. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)

Do plastic bans work? Local waste experts say it’s too soon to know

Last month, the state banned foam clamshells and trays. Litter wranglers said they still find other illegal items on roads.

The words "not disposable" are printed on the ground next to the Styrofoam recycling area on Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020 in Bothell, Wash. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Kim Skarda points at her home on a map on Thursday, June 20, 2024 in Concrete, Washington. A community called Sauk River Estates has a very steep slope above it. There is a DNR-approved timber sale that boarders the estate properties, yet they were not consulted about the sale before approval. The community has already appealed the sale and has hired their own geologist to conduct a slope stability report at the site. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

Beneath steep slope, Concrete neighbors fear landslides from logging above

Nielsen Brothers plans to cut 54 acres of timber directly behind the community of 83 homes. Locals said they were never consulted.

Kim Skarda points at her home on a map on Thursday, June 20, 2024 in Concrete, Washington. A community called Sauk River Estates has a very steep slope above it. There is a DNR-approved timber sale that boarders the estate properties, yet they were not consulted about the sale before approval. The community has already appealed the sale and has hired their own geologist to conduct a slope stability report at the site. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Rob Plotnikoff takes a measurement as a part of the county's State of Our Waters survey at Tambark Creek in Bothell, Washington on Monday, July 1, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

Snohomish County stream team bushwhacks a path to healthier waterways

This summer, the crew of three will survey 40 sites for the State of Our Waters program. It’s science in locals’ backyards.

Rob Plotnikoff takes a measurement as a part of the county's State of Our Waters survey at Tambark Creek in Bothell, Washington on Monday, July 1, 2024. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
Spencer Island Park on Saturday, June 29, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)

If Climate Commitment Act is repealed, what local projects are at risk?

Salmon restoration, ferry electrification and other green projects in Snohomish County could lose funding in November, if Initiative 2117 passes.

Spencer Island Park on Saturday, June 29, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The access loop trail on the Old Sauk Trail on Monday, May 27, 2024 in Darrington, Washington. (Ta'Leah Van Sistine / The Herald)

10 accessible trails to explore this summer in Snohomish County

For people with disabilities, tree roots and other obstacles can curb access to the outdoors. But some trails are wheelchair-friendly.

The access loop trail on the Old Sauk Trail on Monday, May 27, 2024 in Darrington, Washington. (Ta'Leah Van Sistine / The Herald)
Homeowners Jim and Chris Hall stand beneath their new heat pump, at right, inside their Whidbey Island home on Thursday, Sep. 7, 2023, near Langley, Washington. The couple, who are from Alaska, have decreased their use of their wood burning stove to reduce their carbon footprint. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

Snohomish County to start ‘kicking gas’ in push for all-electric homes

Last year, 118 Whidbey Island homes installed energy-efficient heat pumps. A new campaign aims to make the case for induction stoves now, too.

Homeowners Jim and Chris Hall stand beneath their new heat pump, at right, inside their Whidbey Island home on Thursday, Sep. 7, 2023, near Langley, Washington. The couple, who are from Alaska, have decreased their use of their wood burning stove to reduce their carbon footprint. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)